Knitted articles or fabrics and the manufacture thereof



Patented Bee. 24-, 1929 PATENT OFFHIE WILLEAIVI HEAP HOLLAND, 0F MANCHESTER, ENGLAND KNITTED ARTECLES GR FABRICS AND THE BEANUFACTURE THEREOF No Drawing. Application filed September as, 1828, Serial No. 137,628, and in Great Britain August 13, 1926.

sary that the fibres should be spun into yarn b bein more or less firml r twisted to ether a 3 a before being knitted.

This twist has been resorted to because among other reasons it was generally sup- 15 posedv (a) that it would not be possible to a roving before being spun into yarn.

knit a fabric unless the fibres composing the thread of yarn were twisted upon one another to hold or bind them firmly together in order to prevent them from flying apart or coming asunder during the process of knitting or processes auxiliary to knitting; (b) that the twist was necessary to hold the fibres together Whilst in fabric form, to give the fabric the necessary strength to hold together, and to give wearing qualities.

In cotton spinning, and worsted spinning, on the Bradford system and in some other systems of spinning, the fibres are associated in the form of a sliver or slightly twisted In some other cases such as worsted spinning on the continental system and yarns spun on the condenser system, the roving is not twisted but is rubbed or rolled, or in other cases, an untwisted sliver is crimped, so as in each case to cause the fibres to become interlocked to a certain extent. In each of these cases, the processes mentioned are preparatory to spinning and the product of these processes is to be understood as roving suitable for carrying out the present invention.

This slight twisting, or the rubbing, rolling, or crimping, is considered necessary except, in cases where the sliver or roving is very thick in order to give the sliver or roving sufficient strength to enable it to be wound upon and unwound from a bobbin, or to be placed in or drawn from a can or other receptacle, Without stretching or the fibres coming apart, or the sliver or roving breaking.

The process of spinning generally includes both drawing and twisting but sometimes the yarn is formed from the roving or sliver by twisting only.

In the present specification, by a slightly twisted roving is meant a roving which is twisted so slightly that the twist would not prevent its drawing satisfactorily in the ordinary spinning machine when treated in the ordinary manner for that particular fibre. Any roving which cannot, owing to twist, be drawn out satisfactorily in a spinning machine is unsuitable for carrying out the present invention and is not contemplated by the present invention. Another definition might be that the twist should not be such as to bind the fibres or prevent the fibres from being separated laterally when knitted. It will thus be seen that the roving or sliver which consists of unspun fibres may have the fibres straight, parallel and untwisted, or the fibres may have a slight twist not sufficient to bind the fibres laterally and prevent satisfactory drawing of the roving or sliver in an ordinary spinning machine. Such slight twist which will not prevent satisfactory drawing in an ordinary spinning machine and spreading or lateral separation in the fabric, is within the spirit of the invention, as roving of this character will permit lateral separation of the individual fibres in interstitial spaces of a fabric.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a knitted article or fabric of improved quality with the same raw material as has been used hitherto-in some cases, to produce a more bulky, lighter and softer fabric from the same amount of fibre or a knitted fabric in which the fibres are laid parallel with one another and in other cases, when required, to produce a closer, more compact and more flexible fabric with improved wearing qualities than is obtainable using ordinarv twisted yarn.

According to this invention, an untwisted (not twisted) or only slightly twisted sliver or rovinn of fibrous material. is used as the from which the knitted. article is to be made, the fibrous material being such as would be capable of being twisted into yarn. The untwisted or only slightly twisted sliver or roving for convenience of reference and definition is hereinafter generically called Parafil.

From the said Parafil is produced by knitting a new article, fabric, or material here inafter generically referred to as Paravette. The Paravette article, fabric or material is or may be steamed, heated, ironed or brushed to lock the fibres together and prevent the Parafil or fibres from being readily drawn out and also to develop the curl o'r waviness or other natural characteristics of the fibres, or the surface effectof the material. It may also be treated by any of the ordinary finishing processes to obtain these effects,

I have found that Para-til can be used for knitting if care be taken not to strain or stretch the Parafil so as to draw the fibres apart in the process, and this can be effected by arranging the bobbin or can or other receptacle on or in which the iarafil is wound so that the Parafi'l is drawn or pulled into the knitting machine with the minimum strain, tension or friction possible, except such as arises in obtaining lateral pressure'as and for the purpose hereinafter described, care being taken to prevent or reduce as far as possible, any "sudden jerk. On its way to the knittin machine the Parafil may pass through guides, spaced at suitable distances apart for the purpose of bringing the fibres (by means of lateral pressure) into closer association with one another. I have found that while passing'through such guides the Parafil is materially strengthened in the neighborhood of the points of contact. The yarn guides may be caused to have a 'similar effect, as the fibres will be caused to bind against one another and will thereby be prevented from-drawing out and separating longitudinal'ly of'the roving. Whilst the Parafil is actually being worked upon by the needles, the needles pressing against it give it the necessary strength to withstand the strain caused by their movements. WVhen the Parafil is once knitted, the pull or pressure of the stitches against one another (which takes place where the Paravette is pulled in any direction) give the necessary lateral pressure to cause the fibres to bind against and thereby to grip one another, and astrong fabric is produced. 'Owing to the gripping power of the fibres, arising out of a'slight lateral pressure againstone another, giving the materials'ufficient strength to enable it to be knitted, and owing also to the above mentioned pressure of the stitches when knitted, a strong knitted fabric is ob tained. On the other hand, in the case of looselyknitted Paravette when the fabric is not being stretched (or is relaxed) the individual fib'resare more or less free to move laterally with respect to one another and assume a more or less natural disposition.

By proceeding in accordance with this invention, a very loose, open, bulky and extremely soft fabric can be made on the one hand, or, on the other hand, if required, a veryclosely knitted, compact and at the same time pliab le fabric with -imp-roved wearing qualities can be producedthe resulting fabric or Paravette difiering in appearance and texture from a fabric made from twisted yarn. Further, in Paravette the fibres may be so laid that all those in the same Parafil are substantially parallel to one another, thereby giving the maximum brightness in appearance.

The lateral separation of the individual fibres of the roving is controlled by the length of the stitches, and the shorter the stitches the less will be the lateral separation of the individual fibres and the tighter will be the fabric, and the longer the stitches the greater will be the separation or spreading of the individual fibres and the loser and fl-ufiier will be the fabric.

In knitted woollen or worsted fabrics it is possible by this invention to use the natural resiliency or elasticity of the fibres to control the thickness of the fabric at any particular part, by Varying the length 'of the stitches; and lateral separation of the individual fibres of the roving is controlled by the length of the stitches, so that the length of the stitches will affect the dimensions of the fabric in every direction, including thickness. This is due to the fact that the fibres of tightly knitted Paravet-te are held together tightly by the stitches and, when loosely knitted, a great portion of the length *of each fibre is free to take up its natural position; owing to the natural shape or formation of wool fibres being curly or wavy when they are free to take up their natural positions and do so, they stand away from one another more or less and so make a bulky fabric. In Paravet'te the fibres, when knitted, are only controlled by the stitches of the fabric and are free from strains incident to twist, so that the fibres are free to move, in a manner very different from the fibres in a fabric composed of twisted yarn. This freedom from strain results in the Paravette retalnlng in a great degree the characteristic feeling and qualities of the raw material; moreover, a mate rial can be produced which in the case of wool is either extremely flexible or resilient, or both resilient and flexible, and in other fibres special characteristic qualities are retained. Knitted fabrics made from spun yarn are less pliable and harder than falqics knitted in a similar manner from Para'fil obtained from the same raw material.

In making a shaped knitted article sometimes this has been done by using a yarn of varying thickness and altering the tension or len th of the stitches in accordance with the thickness of the yarn; the longer the stitches and thicker the yarn the greater the dimensions of the fabric in every direction. A thicker yarn has been necessary with the longer stitches in order to fill up the greater spaces between the long stitches. With Parafil, made from wool or other fibres of a curly or wavy character or springy nature, or from fibres which by treatment before or after knitting are given such character, to obtain similar results it is only necessary to vary the length of the stitches, the Parafil expanding to fill up the spaces between them. Therefore, without varying the weight of the roving or changing the number of needles in use, it is possible to knit a fabric which shall vary both in its thickness and width simply by changing the length of the stitches.

In some cases a twisted yarn or yarns or artificial or other fibres or filaments of continuous formation constituting knitting elements may be used in associattion with one or more lengths, threads, ends, or elements of Parafil, but in such a manner that after being knitted it or they shall not by twist laterally bind the fibres of the Parafil.

Materials or garments or other articles may be composed wholly or partly of Paravette. The term knitting is intended to include crocheting, warp knitting, and the like, effected mechanically and either by hand or power.

Parafil may contain fibres of different materials. Paravette may be knitted from one or more Parafils, whether of similar or dissimilar materials.

Although the manufacture of Paravette omits the processes of twisting and therein appears to effect a saving in the cost of manufacture, the extreme delicacy of the Parafil and the care with which it has to be used, has up to now been found to increase rather than reduce the cost of manufacture. The invention, however, arrives at and achieves the production of a new material with special advantages.

What I claim and desire to secure hv Let ters Patent is 1. The process of making knitted fabrics consisting in interlooping a roving to knit a fabric composed of unspun fibers free from adhesives.

2. The process of making knitted fabrics consisting in interlooping a roving to knit a fabric composed of unspun fibers free from adhesives and capable of being drawn in an ordinary spinning machine.

3. The process of making knitted fabrics consisting in interlooping a roving to knit a fabric composed of unspun fibres free from adhesives and capable of being drawn in an ordinary spinning machine, and regulating the strain on the roving so as to avoid the fibres pulling out or separating longitudinally while the roving is passing into the knitting machine.

4. The process of making knitted fabrics consisting in interlooping a roving to knit a fabric composed of unspun fibres free from adhesives and capable of being drawn in an ordinary spinning machine, and controlling the lateral separation of the individual fibres of the roving by the length of the stitches in the fabric.

5. The process of making knitted fabrics consisting in interlooping a roving to knit a fabric composed of unspun fibres free from adhesives, controlling the lateral separation of the individual fibres in the roving by the lengths of the stitches in the fabric, and regulating the strain on the roving so as to avoid the fibres pulling out or separating longitudinally while the roving is passing into the knitting machine.

6. A knitted fabric consisting of an interlooped roving of unspun fibres free from adhesives and capable of being satisfactorily drawn in an ordinary spinning machine.

7. A knitted fabric consisting of an interlooped roving of unspun substantially parallel fibres free from adhesives and capable of being drawn in an ordinary spinning machine, the lateral separation of the individual fibres of the roving being controlled by the stitches in the fabric.

8. A fabric consisting of an interlooped roving of unspun fibres free from adhesives, the fabric having interstitial spaces and the individual fibres of the roving being separable laterally from one another in the completed fabric to fill the interstitial spaces.

9. A fabric consisting of an interlooped roving of unspun fibres free from adhesives and capable of being drawn in an ordinary spinning machine, the fabric having interstitial spaces and the individual fibres of the roving being laterally separable to fill the interstitial spaces and expose more or less fully the individual fibrers of the roving.

10. A knitted fabric consisting of an interlooped roving of unspun fibers free from adhesives and having incorporated therein by the knitting process a different continuous element which has not been twisted with the roving.

11. A knitted fabric consisting of a looped roving of unspun fibers free from adhesives.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

W. HEAP HOLLAND. 

